Page 36 of The Grumpy Actor

Hearing him so easily dismiss what we had back then messed me up.

It has once again confirmed to me what I already know—our relationship back then was just a fling. It hadn’t been love for him, even if I’d gone into it with my heart in the game.

At the end of it all, I’m the one who got hurt, and I’m still hurting.

Why is that?

It’s been seven years, and I’m more mature now. Why does he still affect me so much?

Am I falling for him again?

That shouldn’t happen. I should hate him now.

He did apologize, and he genuinely seemed sad about what happened between us, but that doesn’t change the fact that I shouldn’t be falling for him all over again.

He broke up with me back then because he believed he needed to let me go. Judging from his actions these past weeks, it’s clear he still feels the same way.

Why, then, am I still stupidly falling for him?

I drag my tired feet toward the rock. I sit atop it, folding my legs against my chest.

The one thing I’m grateful for is that the movie crew never saw the need to shoot near my favorite spot.

So this space is still how I like it. Calm, peaceful, and it’s just me—

Really!

My body tenses up in reaction to his presence even before he says a word. How did he get here without making any noise?

And why on earth did I show this place to him?

Now I can’t have the peace I crave.

“Here.” He holds out a bottle of water to me as he sits beside me. “You didn’t have any water after eating. I thought you might be thirsty.”

This is so unusual. I’m the one who gets him water and looks after him. It shouldn’t be the other way around.

However, my resolve is much too weak to argue with him at the moment, so I accept the water.

“Thanks.”

I twist off the cap and take a sip.

My mind keeps traveling back to all that’s happened between us. And with him so close, it doesn’t make it easy on me.

“Are you okay?”

The question catches me off guard, and I almost choke on the water. His hand goes to my back and pats it gently.

I cap the bottle and place it beside me.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look it.”

Of course he thinks I’m not fine. I left the gathering so abruptly after his little statement that he must have figured out the reason why.

I’ve once again made it painfully obvious that I’m not over him.

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